Holy Ghost boys' soccer hasn't disappeared, plus Stars/Team of Week
The Holy Ghost Prep boys' soccer team is in a unique position.
The Firebirds are not part of a conference but instead play an independent schedule in all sports except ice hockey. The school left the Bicentennial Athletic League at the close of the 2019-20 school year.
Since then, it finds opponents and creates its own schedules. That circumstance creates challenges for athletic director Craig Conlin as he tries to schedule the maximum 18 regular-season soccer games allowed under PIAA rules.
“(Scheduling) takes a lot of time,” Conlin said. “It takes a lot of energy, it takes a lot of relationships with other coaches and also with myself as the athletic director with other athletic directors.
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Conlin and head coach Ken Lawson must schedule games around their potential opponents’ league commitments. That can mean significant layoffs between games and/or multiple games slotted into a tight time frame. The Firebirds started the 2022 season by playing three games in five days, then were idle for 11 days.
And their slate of games is, to say the least, challenging.
Through Tuesday, Holy Ghost was 2-4 on the season but had already faced the likes of Archbishop Ryan, Roman Catholic, defending Philadelphia Catholic League champion La Salle, defending PIAA Class 4A state champion Conestoga, and Episcopal Academy.
Lawson embraces the rigorous schedule despite the challenges it creates.
“The whole point of us leaving the league was to get as tough opponents as we can,” he said, “so we’re prepared for districts and hopefully for states.”
Lawson jokingly said that perhaps he should have made the schedule a tad less strenuous. Three of the four losses through Tuesday were by one goal.
“We’re in them,” he said. “But we haven’t made that move to get over the hump and actually win one of them.”
Starting Friday, the Firebirds are scheduled to play three games in a five-day span. They’ll travel to Dock Mennonite on Friday before hosting on Paul VI and Malvern Prep on Monday.
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Stars of the Week
Forward: Junior Enzo Petruzzelli did it all for Archbishop Wood, scoring both his team’s goals in a 2-0 win over Lansdale Catholic on Saturday and the only goal in the Vikings’ 1-0 verdict over previously unbeaten Father Judge on Tuesday.
Midfielder: Central Bucks South freshman Jeremy Salazar started the season with the junior varsity before earning a promotion. He came off the bench against Neshaminy last Wednesday and within 10 minutes scored one goal and assisted on another. His performance earned him a start against Council Rock North last Friday.
Defender: Senior Shane Velez was all over the pitch for the Pennridge, spending time up front as well as in the back as the Rams shut our Truman last Wednesday and Pennsbury on Friday before recording a 2-0 decision over Neshaminy on Tuesday. Velez has played a full 80 minutes in each of his team’s last four games.
Keeper: Holy Ghost Prep fell 3-2 to La Salle last Thursday on a penalty kick in overtime. But had it not been for the work of Timmy Devine in net the Firebirds wouldn’t have gotten that far. The junior made a series of big saves all afternoon long to keep his side in the game.
Team of the Week: Central Bucks South vaulted itself into a tie at the top of the SOL Colonial table with 2-1 wins over Council Rock North on Friday and Council Rock South on Tuesday. South stands at 7-2 overall through Tuesday and 6-2 in divisional play.
Games to watch
La Salle at Father Judge, Tuesday, 6 p.m. — This matchup features two sides with legitimate ambitions of claiming Philadelphia Catholic League and state honors.
Pennridge at Council Rock South, Wednesday, 3:30 p.m. — Two teams looking to enhance their positions in the District One playoff race square off.
Central Bucks East at Neshaminy, Wednesday, 7 p.m. — A crucial game for the Patriots as they fight to stay in contention in SOL Colonial.
This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: High School boys' soccer news and notes from Bucks/Montco region
